The Dance That Never Was
by Mist Emoun Tains
Summary: Another year, and this time, another ball. Everyone is excited, but all Ron and Hermione can think about is the dance that never happen.
1. He Had To Get Out Of There

He had to get out of there, away from everyone. Another ball? What was Dumbledore thinking? "I am happy to announce, that the staff and I have to decided to once again, hold a ball this Christmas!" Yeah, you may be happy about it. It's not like you have worry about finding a date!  
  
His hands in his pockets he kept marching down the halls, hoping Harry and Hermione didn't come after him. He wouldn't be surprised if they did, after the way he left. The second after the ball had been announced, Ron had practically run out of the great hall. Luckily, everyone had been so over come with excitement that no one had noticed. No one that is, except for, of course, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione.  
  
He wasn't entirely certain why he ran out like that. He just had to escape. A great deal pressure had seemed to been placed on him in that one moment. All the memories and feelings of regret from the last ball had come back to him, though they had never entirely left, and now that was all he could think about.  
  
He remembered how embarrassed he was when he asked Fleur to the dance, his date he didn't really know, Padma, and the one memory that constantly bit at him, Hermione going to the ball with Victor Krum. He still didn't see what she saw in him. Was it his money? His fame? The exact opposite of me. Ron thought sadly.  
  
The ball had been haunting him ever since. He still felt bad about completely blowing off Padma, but that wasn't what was really what was getting to him. It was on that night, while heading back alone to the common room, that he had come across a scene he had really rather not seen. And it was that night he realized why he was so angry with Hermione. That night he had realized something he had known, but never admitted to himself for four years.  
  
Thank you so much for reading my story! Please review and check out my other stories! Thank you again! 


	2. A dreadful sight

Hi! Thank you to everyone who is reading! Sorry I didn't clarify that I'd be continuing this story. Here's the next chapter, which is a flash back! (Remember the sight Ron would have rather not seen?)  
  
Ron remembered walking to the common room alone when Harry stayed back to talk to Cedric. He was angry, but not because of Harry. He was angry, because of Hermione. The thought still made his rage rise!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*FLASH BACK*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ron walked the halls alone, fuming. His whole evening had been a disaster, but thought to relive it to make things better never crossed his mind. He wanted to erase the evening, delete it from history, or at least the part with him in it. So many thoughts, mostly angry, clouded his mind, and he was not one to even talk to at the moment. One word and he might have easily cursed you until your face was on backwards. And what he was about to see, wouldn't help at all.  
  
He rounded the corner, not looking up until he heard a familiar, (which he thought was) dopey voice. When he did look up, he stopped dead in his tracks. There, twenty to thirty feet ahead of him were Victor and Hermione. "I had a great time tonight." Said Victor stepping in awfully close too Hermione, too close for Ron's comfort.  
  
"Me too." She replied sweetly. What happened next made Ron reach his boiling point, yet he was somehow able to contain his anger until the right moment, if you can say such a thing. Victor leaned down and kissed Hermione. Oh, Ron was angry! Furious! What the hell did Victor think he was doing?  
  
The two then began to talk again, though this time Ron was unable to make out their conversation. After a final goodnight, Victor turned and left as Hermione walked into the common room. "Goodnight." Said Victor almost in disgust as he passed the still frozen Ron.  
  
"Stupid prat." Muttered Ron. Ron stormed down the hall. "Fairy Lights!" he shouted at the picture of the fat lady, though even with his shouting, she hardly took notice. "FAIRY LIGHTS!" he yelled again making the fat lady finally take notice.  
  
"Somebody's grumpy." She said as she swung towards the wall allowing him in. Ron found Hermione dreamily crossing the common room to her dormitories.  
  
"What was that about?" said Ron angrily. Hermione flipped her head around.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I mean you snogging that-that sad excuse for a Quidditch player, back  
there! That's what I'm talking about!"  
  
Hermione looked shocked and was obviously not pleased. "You were watching us? Ron! What is your problem?"  
  
"Problem? What is my problem? Sorry, I'm not the one going around snogging some dopey Quidditch player, who can't even say my name right, is way too  
old for me, and is just using me so he can win a competition against my  
best friend!"  
  
"Too old for me? You didn't seem to think Fleur was too old for you when  
you asked her to the ball!"  
  
"Well, that-that was different?"  
  
"Different? Really? Why is it so hard to think that someone might actually  
like me for who I am?"  
  
"Hermione, it's Victor Krum! And your best friend is his biggest  
competition! You should have gone to the ball with him!"  
  
"Well if you don't like it you know what the solution is, don't you?"  
  
"Oh yeah?"  
  
"Next time there's a ball ask me first, and not as a last resort!" Hermione then turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.  
  
"Well that just proves-completely missed the point-" When Ron thought back on that night he wondered, did she miss the point, or did I? Harry had apparently walked in the room during their fight, but Ron didn't' care. He didn't even say a word to Harry. He just sat down, and began to think.  
  
So there it is! Please tell me what you think, and I'll post more soon! Bye! And thanks for reading! 


	3. Oh come off it!

Hey! As I was reading over the last chapter again, I realized that Ron told Hermione that she should have gone to the ball with Victor. As I'm sure you all guessed it was suppose to say that she shouldn't have gone with him. Just thought I'd clear that up. Also, sorry it's taking me so long to post. I'm working on quite a few different fanfics right now so I try to post on all of them instead of just posting two or three times on one of them. Well, here it goes!  
  
And think he did. In fact he was up for hours after the ball doing just that. Thinking, wondering what exactly Hermione had meant by "next time there's a ball, ask me" and the "not as a last resort." Whatever she meant, he knew it had struck a cord with him. A bolt of lightning had struck him but he wasn't sure which rain cloud it had come from. Did he have feelings for Hermione? If not, then why did he care so much about who she went with? Even though he didn't like to admit it, Vicky hadn't really given him much reason to consider him a danger to Hermione, except for the fact that Vicky liked her.  
  
Oh, again there was that surge of anger that had become ever so familiar within the past two days. But why was it there? Was it really a surge of anger? He thought about this, and then it dawned on him. He was jealous.  
  
He was beyond jealous. He had wanted to go to the ball with Hermione, not Fleur, not Padma, or anyone else, just Hermione. And why was that? Because he loved her. He loved her and he would say it again. He loved Hermione. Of course he had realized that too late.  
  
Ron was now sitting on his bed in the boy's dormitory. No one else was in the room, or even the common room. "They're probably all at dinner." He thought, not minding at all. He sat there, thinking over the challenge that he only had three days to fulfill. He had to ask Hermione to the ball.  
  
Just minutes later, Harry walked in looking for Ron. "There you are! What happened? Hermione was afraid you had gotten sick or something."  
  
"No, no I'm fine. I had forgotten to mail a letter to my mum."  
  
"A letter to your mum?" asked Harry, obviously not buying it.  
  
"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"  
  
"Nothing." Said Harry taking a seat. "Just curious. So, do you have anyone in mind to ask to the ball, then?"  
  
"No, d'you?"  
  
"Well, I've sort of got someone in mind."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Um, actually I was thinking about asking Ginny. Why don't you ask Hermione?" asked Harry trying to change the subject from whom he wanted to ask, to whom Ron should ask.  
  
"What? Hermione? Why would I ask her?"  
  
"Oh get off it, Ron! Don't make a repeat of the Yule Ball. Besides, I think  
she'd say yes."  
  
"Really? You think so?"  
  
"Yeah! Of course!"  
  
"Well, maybe I should ask-wait! No! I can't do that! It's Hermione!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"So she's one of my best friends! I can't ask her to the ball!"  
  
"Suit yourself, mate. But if I were you, I'd think about it. C'mon, Ginny  
and Hermione are waiting in the common room."  
  
Harry began to walk out of the room. "Wait!" said Ron. "Ok, suppose I did decide to ask her. How should I do it?"  
  
"You're asking me?"  
  
"Harry, you know a lot more about this than I do."  
  
"No I don't."  
  
"Just tell me how to ask her."  
  
Harry grinned. Maybe Ron wasn't so oblivious to his own feelings. "Just ask if you can talk to her for a moment in private and then ask her."  
  
"Just like that? Just ask her?"  
  
"Well, yeah. It's not as hard as you think it is."  
  
"That's easy for you to say."  
  
"So are you going to ask her tomorrow at Hogsmede?"  
  
"What? I never said I was going to ask her!"  
  
"Come on, Ginny and Hermione are waiting."  
  
So there it is! Ok, I know it was not one of my best chapters, but I still hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you think! 


	4. Some one pretty? Your standards are high

Hey! Happy belated Valentines Day everyone! I hope you all had fun! Ok so here's the next chapter, after this there will be one or two more and then... the ball! But as for whom Ron goes with, or if he even goes, well, you'll have to keep reading to find out! Also, please check out my other stories! I think you'd like at least one of them! Well, here it goes!  
  
Ron sighed. "Alright." He grabbed his books off his nightstand and followed Harry down into the common room. They were meeting the girls just to work on homework and make plans for tomorrow. Ginny needed help with defense against the dark arts and had asked Harry without hesitation, though he didn't seem to mind at all. So, this arrangement left Ron practically alone with Hermione, working on a potions essay.  
  
"So how far are you?"  
  
"Only about a fourth of an inch farther than when you asked me less than a minute ago." Said Hermione appearing to be slightly annoyed.  
  
"Oh, right. Sorry." Ron wanted to talk to her so badly but he couldn't think of anything to say. He tried to think of something to ask her in a few minutes, after she had gotten a little farther on her essay, but all he could think to ask her about was the ball and that was the last thing he wanted to bring up. So what did he do? "Who are you going to the ball with?" That wasn't what he meant to ask her yet that's what came out.  
  
"Ron it was announced barely an hour ago! How am I—"  
  
"—I mean who do you want to go with?"  
  
"I have someone in mind." She said hardly taking her eyes off her essay. "Are you planning on asking anyone?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Who? And please don't tell me you're just going to get the prettiest girl you can because you know how well that strategy worked out last time. Harry  
had to get you a date!"  
  
"Thanks for reminding me, Hermione, and so what if I'll be using that strategy again? I just want to go to the ball with someone pretty." That wasn't what he meant to say. Stupid! Stupid! That was enough to rip Hermione's eyes from her essay long enough to glare at him.  
  
"Some one pretty? Well, I must say you are quite sensitive and selective about your dates." Sarcasm. Pure sarcasm.  
  
"Thanks." He said half joking. Hermione slammed her potions book shut.  
  
"Well, I think I am going to go take a nap. See you." Hermione stormed off to the girl's dormitory.  
  
Harry and Ginny walked back over to Ron. "You know, you're really quite thick." Said Ginny. "You managed to make the girl you're going to ask to the ball mad at you within an hour of the announcement. Great job. It's got to be a new record. You ought to be proud of yourself."  
  
"Oh shut up, Ginny. What makes you think I'm going to ask Hermione to the  
ball?"  
  
"Please don't tell me you think I'm that thick. It's obvious! Just ask her  
before you make her hate you."  
  
Ron picked up his potions essay which had hardly one pathetic line written on it. "I'm going to the library."  
  
So there it is! I hope you liked it! The next chapter is Hogsmede! Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks for reading! 


	5. Wait! What?

Hey! Sorry it's taken forever for me to write this! I couldn't ever write it to where I was happy with it. Well, I hope you like it! Here it goes!  
  
"Ginny needs help with defense against the dark arts again, so we're going to go to the library and meet you and Hermione at The Three Broomsticks." Said Harry. Ron couldn't help but to be a little suspicious.  
  
"Are you really helping her, or do you just want to spend time with her?" he asked Harry.  
  
"Well, I—" it became apparent that Harry was searching for a way to turn the tables on the conversation. "We're just giving you a chance to ask Hermione to the ball, that's all."  
  
"But I never said—"  
  
"Just ask her. The worst she can do is say no."  
  
"Yeah, right." Thought Ron. "As if her saying no wouldn't be bad enough. What if she laughs in my face? What if she just stares at me? Or continues on with conversation and doesn't even answer?"  
  
"We'll see you at Hogsmede. Good luck!" Said Harry with a smirk as he headed off to the library.  
  
Harry was a great friend, but sometimes Ron just wanted to kick him. "Yeah, you too! Good luck with Ginny!" Ron shouted after him. Harry pretended not to hear.  
  
The ball was tomorrow and he still hadn't asked her. Gosh, Harry was right. He would just have to ask her, but how? It was nearly time to meet Hermione. He needed time to think over how to ask her, time without her around. She would probably be in the common room at the moment so Ron began to walk towards the carriages, practicing his lines, unknowingly mouthing them as he walked along.  
  
Fifteen minutes passed and Hermione was late. Ron figured she must have already gotten in a carriage so he went ahead and started to look for her. He searched every carriage, but she was nowhere to be seen. He gave in and sat in an empty carriage. Maybe she'd find him.  
  
Or maybe not. "Well, this is great." Thought Ron aloud. "Where is she?"  
  
Soon the carriages slowed to a stop. He got out and began to walk towards The Three Brooms Sticks, wondering if he'd find Hermione there. He was starting to get a bit worried. What if something's happened to her? What if Malfoy had done something? Or Voldermort attacked? He couldn't loose her. He couldn't! "Ron!" came a voice behind him. He turned around to find a smiling Hermione. A sense of relief, as well as suspicion flowed over him. "Wait up!" He stopped walking as she ran to catch up to him. "Hey!"  
  
"Hey!" he responded. "Where were you?"  
  
"Oh," she paused, out of breath. "I was talking to someone and didn't realize the time. Sorry!"  
  
She was talking to someone? Harry and Ginny were in the library, and she said someone, meaning she doesn't want to say whom. Could that someone have already asked her? Crud! He might have blown it again! Who could it be? Victor couldn't have somehow found a way to attend, could he? "Who?"  
  
"Um, Seamus actually."  
  
Seamus? "What were you talking about?" Ron clenched his jaw. Please say he didn't ask her. Please say he didn't ask her.  
  
"Oh, look! There's Harry and Ginny!" Said Hermione as they entered the Three Broom Sticks, and as far is Ron is concerned, completely ignoring his question, which she very well may have been doing.  
  
"Hi!" said Ginny as Ron and Hermione took a seat to her Harry and herself. They ordered their drinks. Ron had a bit of trouble, he nearly ordered a Seamus he was so distracted.  
  
"So, anything happen while we were in the library?" asked Ginny serenely, looking at Hermione expectedly. Some how she took Ron's expression for an odd look of relief, but Harry could see something was wrong.  
  
Hermione looked over at Ron to see if he had anything to say. Once again, Ginny mistook this for more than it was worth. She thought Hermione was seeing if Ron minded telling them. "No, not really."  
  
"Not really?" thought Ron. "Maybe Seamus didn't ask her! But then again she could just not want to tell us."  
  
"Oh," said Ginny. Harry tried to catch her eye. Some how he had to tell her not to ask them more about it! But, Ginny was too preoccupied in attempting to pry the information out of Hermione. She wasn't normally like this, but she just wanted to hear one of them say they were going to the ball together. "So, are you going to the ball with anyone, Hermione?"  
  
She looked a bit uncomfortable when she announced whom she would be going to the ball with. It didn't have anything to do with the person she was going with, but it had everything to do with the red head boy next to her. The last time he found out who she was going to the ball with, they argued all day. "Oh, I'm going with Seamus. Who are you—"  
  
"WHAT?" Ron, Ginny, and Harry all shouted simultaneously. Seamus? Not one of them, ok well maybe Ron, had seen that coming.  
  
"But I thought—Seamus?" said Ginny glancing from Ron to Hermione.  
  
"Seamus?" asked Ron. Harry knew this wouldn't be good. "You're going with Seamus?"  
  
"Yes, is something wrong?" asked Hermione.  
  
Harry and Ginny were on the edge of their seats, waiting for Ron to erupt. Was this ball just going to be a repeat of the last? Their suspense grew; Ron seemed on the edge, ready to unleash his anger. "No—nothing. I've got to go." He said, much to everyone's surprise. He paid for his butter beer, stood up, and walked out. Harry looked at Ginny, nodded, and then went after Ron.  
  
"Ron, wait up!" Ron kept walking, forcing Harry to run. "I'm sorry Hermione turned you down."  
  
"She didn't turn me down."  
  
"WHAT? Are you telling me you didn't ask her?  
  
"No."  
  
"Then what happened?"  
  
"I didn't have a chance to ask her."  
  
"Yes you did, Ginny and I—"  
  
"—Were in the library, and Hermione was in the common room agreeing to go to the ball with Seamus."  
  
"Oh," Harry didn't say anything for a moment. "Sorry mate. It's just a ball. It doesn't mean she likes Seamus or anything." He had a feeling he was just making it worse.  
  
And he was. I can't say it was the first time within that long thirty minutes that it had occurred to him, but what if Hermione really did like Seamus? What if they really did start dating after the ball? "I'm going back to Hogwarts." Said Ron.  
  
Harry didn't even try to persuade him to stay. He knew if he did Ron would either get mad at him, or he would stay and he and Hermione would fight the rest of the day. Harry turned and went back to the Three Broomsticks.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Ginny walked into the common room, hoping to find Hermione. Her brother was devastated, she could tell. All she wanted to know, was why? Why had Hermione agreed to attend the ball with Seamus? Couldn't she see through Ron, too?  
  
"Hey." Said Ginny as she took a seat by Hermione.  
  
"Hello." Replied Hermione.  
  
"So, um, I didn't know you and Seamus were—I didn't know you had a crush on  
him."  
  
"Oh, I don't. See, we're just going as friends. The girl Seamus wanted to  
go with was already taken, and I didn't think anyone would ask me so we  
decided to go together."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"How could you do that? You know perfectly well my brother was going to ask  
you today!"  
  
"No he wasn't."  
  
"Yes he was! That's why Harry and I went to the library!"  
  
"What? Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I wasn't entirely sure if Ron would, you know, be able to."  
  
"Are you serious about this? It isn't a joke?"  
  
"No! He was going to ask you!"  
  
"Did he tell you that he was?"  
  
"Well, no... but it was obvious he wanted to!"  
  
Hermione's face fell. "Well if he didn't tell you he wanted to ask me..."  
  
"I'm his little sister. I've lived with him my whole life. He was really  
upset when he found out you were going with Seamus. Trust me on this  
Hermione, he was going to ask you."  
  
Hermione bit her lip, thinking it over. "No, it's impossible. Ron wouldn't  
ask me."  
  
"Hermione—"  
  
"I'm going to go to bed. Good night." Hermione went up to her dormitory,  
leaving Ginny sitting alone in the common room.  
  
So, there it is! I hope you liked it! The next chapter is the ball! And it will also be the last chapter! Will everything turn out right? Will Ron finally see something in someone else? Will his jealousy drive him mad? Review and then read to find out! 


	6. The Christmas Ball

Hey! Remember this story? I can't believe it's been a month since I have post on this story! I'm so sorry! Well, here's the last chapter. Here it goes!  
  
A quiet uneasiness filled every hall of the school. All students fourth year and above were readying themselves for the highly anticipated, well in some respects, Christmas Ball. Everyone below fourth year was walking about, trying to find something fun to do. It was so unfair! They wanted to go too! Ron would have traded places with anyone of them that night in a heartbeat.  
  
Ron didn't want to go. In fact at the moment he would rather spend the evening scrubbing trophies or even studying! Anything was better than seeing Hermione dancing with Seamus. If Seamus did anything to her, or tried anything, Ron was going to curse him. He had spent all day picking out which spell he was going to use. Seamus didn't deserve Hermione.  
  
And so he stood in his dormitory, getting ready to go to the ball, dateless, in order to spy—he wasn't going to spy on her! He was just simply... ok he was going to spy on Hermione. "Ready, mate?" He was going to tag with Harry and his date whoever that was until he found a table he could sit it at. Who was Harry going to the ball with anyway?  
  
"Ready when you are. Hey, who's your date, anyway?"  
  
Harry didn't look like he wanted to answer. "You'll see. Let's go." They headed down stairs.  
  
Ron looked around for Hermione when they entered the common room. There were several girls waiting around, but none of them were Hermione. "Figures." He thought. Seamus had left twenty minutes before he and Harry.  
  
Harry led Ron up to Ginny who was standing with her friends. They began to giggle as Ginny shushed them. "We'll see you later, Ginny." Said one of them as they left.  
  
"Hey." Said Ginny, smiling as she turning to Harry.  
  
"Hey." He responded looking quite happy his self. "So, you ready to go?"  
  
Ginny nodded and they started walking out. "Wait! Harry I thought you had to wait for—wait, are you two going together?"  
  
Harry glanced nervously at Ginny before speaking. "Yes, we are. I hope you aren't mad or anything."  
  
"Why would I be mad?" asked Ron. "Better you than someone else." That was such a relief for Harry! He was so afraid Ron would get mad at him for taking his sister to the ball. That's why he hadn't mentioned his date much beforehand.  
  
The three of them arrived just as the doors were opening. Ron casually found a table in close to the back (but not too close so he was still able to watch for Hermione and Seamus) Harry and Ginny took a seat with him. The first song started. Harry and Ginny looked as though they wanted to get up, but they weren't sure they should leave Ron. "Go ahead! I'll probably leave in a bit anyway." Said Ron.  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Ginny.  
  
"Just go."  
  
"Well, if you're sure." Harry took Ginny's hand and walked with her out to  
the dance floor.  
  
"This is going to be a long night." Ron thought to himself.  
  
The night went on and Ron wondered why he hadn't just asked Hermione sooner. I mean would it really have been that hard? Yes. Well he was certainly paying for it now. He hadn't seen Hermione all evening. They were probably on the other side of the dance floor. A few times Ron had considered walking around it to look for her, but somehow he couldn't get out of his chair. He didn't think he could take seeing Hermione and Seamus together. And so he sat alone, doomed to a miserable evening. That is, until it was almost over.  
  
Ron glanced at his watch. There was about ten minutes of the ball left. He might as well leave now; what was the point of staying? He stood up and headed towards the exit, only to be stopped. "Ron!" Was it Hermione? He turned around. No, it was only Ginny. Not that there was anything wrong with his sister, he would just rather of seen Hermione, that's all.  
  
"Hey. Where's Harry?"  
  
"Never mind that, I have something important to tell you!" Ginny stopped talking and walked over to him so that she could stop shouting.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Seamus is dancing with Lavender!"  
  
"What?" asked Ron. "He just left Hermione? I'm going to kill him!"  
  
"No, wait!" shouted Ginny as she held Ron back from running to find Seamus. "There's something you don't understand! Hermione and Seamus just went as friends!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Lavender was taken, and—well—you didn't ask Hermione, but now Seamus is with Lavender! Don't you see? Now you can ask Hermione!" Ron froze.  
  
"Oh, you found him?" said Harry as he walked up next to Ginny. She nodded.  
  
"Ok everybody, here's the last song of the night." A voice sounded across the Great Hall as the music slowed in tempo.  
  
"If you're going to ask her mate, you better do it now, and fast." Said Harry, pointing. "She's right over there."  
  
Instead of launching a whole speech on how he didn't know what Harry was talking about, he just nodded nervously, never looking away from Hermione. "Good luck." Said Ginny as Harry took her hand and led her to the dance floor. Ron was too nervous to care, or even notice them leaving.  
  
Just then, Ron caught Hermione's eye/ She looked over at him and smiled. "She's looking at me." He thought. The two just stood there, staring at each other. It didn't matter that they were on opposite sides of the dance floor; they were still connected. Slowly they walked towards each other until they met in the middle.  
  
"Hermione, would you like to dance?" His words came out calmly and smoothly, but his eyes contained over ounce of nerves that flowed in his body.  
  
Hermione smiled bigger than he had even seen her smile before. Her eyes glittered in the lowlight. "I though you'd never ask."  
  
So there it is! Yay everything worked out! I really hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks for reading! 


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